by Patrick H. Moore
Christopher Lane’s murder is rapidly becoming a high-profile case — partly because his Australian citizenship and pleasant demeanor threaten to turn this into an international incident, and partly because the three teenagers who allegedly killed him out of boredom seemed to symbolize everything that is wrong with youth culture in America. One senseless killing to be followed by a second killing — also out of boredom. The “boredom theory” was the perfect explanation as to why rebellious, under-educated, disaffected youth are nihilistic to an extreme and seethe within the prison of their empty meaningless lives.
Well, I admit that this analysis does come close to explaining what led the boys to murder Chris Lane in an act so cold that it reminds us of the stone-cold-killer Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. But there’s more to it that that. Peel back the onion and James Johnson, the man who called the police on Chris Lane’s alleged killers, will tell you more:
In an interview with Nick O’Malley, U.S. Correspondent For Fairfax Media and the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr. Johnson stated with no reservations that he was certain there was gang involvement. Gangs operating in nearby cities, such as Oklahoma City and Dallas, have been recruiting in Duncan. Mr Johnson told Fairfax Media that the three youths, James Edwards, Michael Jones and the accused shooter, Chancey Luna had been trying to recruit his 17-year-old son, Chris, into a gang, and that Chris had refused.
“I don’t think it was an initiation – I know it was an initiation, my son told me it was an initiation,” Mr Johnson told Fairfax Media.
Because Chris refused to sign on to the road to no return, he was put on the gang’s hit list.
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Here’s what happened according to James Johnson:
Two hours after Chris Lane was murdered — which Johnson didn’t know about — he was working on his truck in the church parking lot opposite the house where Chris lives with his mother, Sheila Haynes.
Chris calls in a panic from inside the house. He’s just received a death threat from Edwards and Co. He’d known them from school and the ubiquitous Facebook. Johnson looks around. There they are, the three youths he has known all their lives. They’re in the black death car in the middle of the church parking lot. Johnson calls the police and they’re there within minutes. Disaster averted. James Johnson and his son Chris Johnson were lucky. Chris Lane was not.
Satan Has Taken a Lot of Lives Here:
Mr Johnson has sent Chris away for safety to a youth program for the time being.
“I just thank God I was there, and that Chris was not outside, they could have just driven past and shot him, I don’t even like to contemplate that. To be quite honest, if they were smarter, they could have come up behind me and shot me in the head.”
The interesting thing is that Mr. Johnson described the three youths as good boys who had gone off the rails.
“They don’t have proper fathers in their lives. You can’t be a friend to your son, you got to be the father. I feel very sorry for them, they have ruined their whole lives, but they did the crime, they have to do the time. Perhaps they can make a life inside, get God in their lives.”
“That Edwards was some talent, wrestling, football, he was an athlete. Satan has taken a lot of lives here.”
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Sheila Haynes has three children with Mr Johnson She was not at home during the incident, which occurred on her birthday. Chris was there with their youngest daughter, Shanelle, who is 15.
“I am just thankful that I did not have to lose a son on my birthday. But I am so sad that someone else did.”
Shelia said Chris would not admit to being scared:
“Well, if he is, he is not going to tell me, as his mom. He just said to me, ‘Mom if it is my time, it is my time’.”
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We have yet another hero. Something like three in three days. Antoinette Tuff who saved the schoolchildren at McNair Elementary. The aging farmer Jerome Mauderley who shot the escaped con dead on his staircase saving his own life and that of his wife. And now a kind of multiple heroism — everyone working together. Chris, his father, law enforcement, the woman who made the 9-11 call and first reported the black car.
But this will not bring Christopher Lane back to life.
James Edwards Jr. and Chancy Luna are being charged as adults. If convicted, they will probably pull life stretches. Michael Jones, who appears to be cooperating may get 15 to 25.
Please click here to view our previous posts on the Chris Lane murder:
More Disturbing Information of the Oklahoma Facebook Murder: Australia Is Outraged!
Another Facebook Murder: Three Oklahoma Boys Murder Australian Baseball Player Just for Fun